Final Job Thoughts

I've read pieces of Job before, but never read it straight through like this. I really enjoyed it; it was very much like reading a drama. I could definitely picture people performing this as a means of passing the story down (especially if it is as old as our chronology puts it).

It really is a literary work, and I like that the Bible shows itself not only as a book of wisdom, but one of literary acumen as well.

1. What's the deal with Elihu? This read through, his entrace was pretty dramatic and this reader thought "ah-ha -- here comes the real wisdom and correction." Turns out he said some pretty wrong stuff (example below), and furthermore, he's never even acknowledged by God. In the epilogue, God addresses Job and his three friends, but says nothing to or about Elihu.
2. Previously, I asked about this line of thinking seen again in Job 35:8 ... Elihu speaking -- "Your [Job] wickedness affects only a person like yourself, and your righteousness only other people." Before, I was unsure of the logic of this. Is it true that our acts don't affect God at all? This didn't sit with me, and I wanted to share my Bible's note.. I highlighted the part important to me: "According to Strahan, Elihu exalts God's greatness at the cost of His grace, His transcendence at the expense of His immanence. He sets up a material instead of a spiritual stand of profit and loss. He does not realize that God does gain what He desires most by the goodness of men, and loses what He most loves by their evil."
3. Behemoth & Leviathan: As a kid, I re-read this part so much (because I was in love with dinosaurs). My Bible (which focuses on the process of translation - rather than a devotional Bible) says that these two parts don't fit with any of the present material and are likely a later addition. I wonder why? What are the animals described? Often people say the Behemoth is a hippo, but it's funny to describe a hippo as ranking "first among the works of God." I've also heard they could be mythological animals -- mythologized by pagan writers or receivers?
4. God's entrance: So cool -- so dramatic. God is often accompanied by a storm in the OT, yes?
   

Job Thoughts

1. Job 7:20: If I have sinned - what have I (Job) done to you (God), O watcher of men? - Is this rhetorical? Is Job really saying that sin has no consequence to God?
   
2. Who are we supposed to listen to in Job? When Bildad says "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with gladness," is that an indirect promise from God, or is it simply a man's opinion?
3. I was talking with Evan last night about Job, and he mentioned 2:13, where Job's friends come and sit with him for 7 days and nights without saying a word. Evan said this is an incredible example of friendship... don't know how I missed that on my first read-through. (Then I read in ch. 16 "what miserable comforters are you all!")
   
4. Is anyone else a bit uncomfortable reading some of things Job says to God?
5. How cool is this to read?
   Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high
   My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God
   and he contends with God on behalf of man as a man pleads for his friend
   
6. Job as a Greek tragedy -- any takers?

Never Read this before...

After a chapter long rant about his guilt, job concludes the following.

³³ If only there were someone to arbitrate between us,
to lay his hand upon us both,

³⁴ someone to remove God's rod from me,
so that his terror would frighten me no more.

³⁵ Then I would speak up without fear of him,
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

Ive never read this and am encouraged by it. I love thinking of Jesus as my/our advocate. To think that Jesus as an attorney pleading on our behalf to God the Judge is really beautiful. For as bad a wrap that defense attorneys get, it is cool to think about their role. Pleading on behalf of those who have little to no plea. If we think about it in a human sense, defense attorneys are offensive in a lot of cases. In cases where the defendant is clearly guilty, defense attorneys try to get them off on some sort of technicallity, insanity plea, or at least try to minimize the sentence (reducing what we consider justice).

Our situation is no different. We are guilty before God and really have no plea. But Jesus took it a step further than trying to get us off on a technicality, insanity plea, or minimized sentence. He (as our advocate/attorney) has told the judge that yes, the defendant is guilty, but rather than have him/her serve their sentence, I would like to serve their sentence for them. Pretty cool.

I think it is quite amazing that Job realized his need for this advocate. Especially at a time when he seemed to have done nothing wrong and was the offended party.

-camel

Challenged

I am always challenged when I read the first part of Job. "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord". I wish that I could say that and mean it. Obviously it is easy to bless the Lord when everything is going well, and by and large, I don't run across a whole lot of adversity. But even still, I think that most of the time, I trust God or praise Him for what He does or has done for me, rather than who He is.